Chapter 223

Chapter 223: Chapter 223

Morning came quickly, the excitement of the entrance exams seemed to spread through every part of northern Eynsworth, even the inn they were in wasn’t spared. At the first light of dawn, it was already lively with aspiring applicants getting ready for another day of trials.

The tavern was even more bustling than the evening before, every single seat filled. Mages could see through Demons’ low-level perception magic, so none of them bothered with it.

Dulce couldn’t help but slow down a bit when he realized that the crowd was staring in their direction, it almost seemed like they had come specifically to get a look at them.

"Perhaps you should wait for me up in the inn room or at the cottage," Dulce turned to them after they walked out of the inn, their carriage driving up to the front.

Asael’s gray eyes were sharp as he swept a look around, "There’s too many people to leave you alone."

Dulce was still uneasy, it was exactly why he wanted them to stay out of sight. "I’ll be fine. I’ll blend in far more easily than any of you will..."

Caedos had already opened the door to the carriage as he was worrying, offering a hand to the Vampire after he got on. "Demons in a mage city have no need to blend in."

Dulce took his hand, but the crease between his brows didn’t ease. "I’m worried about the danger."

Kath’tan scoffed, getting on next. "What danger?"

Mages could no longer even summon Demons, they truly didn’t pose a danger to them.

Ruoxi was the last to get on, the Incubus yawned, his usual vibrant gold-hued skin lacking in color. "Let’s get this over with and return home." He grumbled, already over the flashy magic and noise.

Dulce already knew he couldn’t convince them, if he hadn’t been able to change their minds on the treacherous journey here, then there was no hope of it now.

But he couldn’t shake off the worry the attention they drew brought. The folks in Magic Alley hadn’t been welcoming to the Demons after all, and Miss Moira was treated as an outcast for her unabashed interest in them.

Not to mention, he had something to hide, the attention might bring his identity under scrutiny and he would be tossed out the gates with his Demons for being a Vampire.

But too soon, the tall white gates of the institution came into view. On the street leading to the gates, there were a variety of carriages; some were heading to the gates, while others were parked along the sides of the wide street. Some still were selling items out of their carriages, it was just as lively as everything they had seen so far.

Birds made of light flew past their windows as they drove for the gates, scattering against the side of the carriage.

"Invite?" A hollow voice called to them when they finally arrived at the gates, after a slow crawl that lasted almost an hour.

Dulce poked his head out of the window, a gentle breeze blowing stray wisps of his hair around his face. "Right here."

The guards at the gates were large suits of armor, wielding lances as tall as pillars. They were clearly empty, yet they spoke and moved as if they were alive.

The suit of armor floated the letter over from Dulce onto a large palm, using magic to verify the embossed stamp on the invite. The silence that followed was tense and seemed to stretch out for an eternity.

"You may pass." The hollow voice finally spoke again, breaking the tense silence.

The letter floated back into Dulce’s hand, and the gates opened so they could pass. The white gates ripped open a path in the magical shield that protected the school, allowing them to safely enter the academy grounds.

The path led them through unassuming gardens to a space where the carriage could wait while its occupants attempted the entrance exams.

"Welcome to the western magical institution," A haughty voice said before the carriage could even come to a halt. "One of the four pillars of magic. How many of you will be taking the exams?"

Dulce hurriedly opened the doors of the carriage, getting out after Asael so that he could reply to the academy staff attending to them.

"Just me," He said with a polite smile. "Can I bring my companions as well?"

The haughty wizard immediately lost all the color in his face as he watched towering Demons descend from the large carriage one after the other. "W-What is your name?" He stumbled over his words, no longer speaking ostentatiously.

"Dulce Montesserat." He replied cautiously, wondering if he should have offered a different name after speaking.

"Your invite?" The wizard held out a hand, once staring them down, now he could no longer even look Dulce in the eyes.

Dulce held out the helpful piece of paper that Miss Moira had procured for him. Without it, he would have been turned away at the gate regardless of his proficiency in sigil drawing and reading.

"You may," The staff said after a long pause, taking his time to study the generic letter that was no different from the others. "However, there are procedures that need to be completed if they are to remain by your side in the institution."

Dulce agreed eagerly, he hadn’t expected them to be this accommodating. Completing a process to allow the Demons join him in the institution was a small matter.

"Very well," The staff cleared his throat, turning around. "Come with me."

Dulce glanced around then, noticing that the carriage that rode in after theirs also had an academy staff personally attend to them. Clearly, the institution spared no expenses for the entrance exams.

"Could you tell me what I am to expect?" He asked after they walked in silence for a while.

The wizard looked him over like he was trying to get a read on him and failing, suppressing a shiver from the weight of the glares on him. "The entrance exams are in two phases, the written exam and the spellcasting trial."

Usually, he would have launched into a lengthy explanation about the contents of the entrance exams, but he had been too shaken by the sight of four Demons bound to a single mage. He also couldn’t recognize the mage in question, he wasn’t from any of the four powerful families. And despite being wealthy and powerful to a fault, he was soft-spoken and polite.

"Very few make it to the spellcasting trial," He went on, leading them to a small building to the side where the test would be taken.

"Because the written exam is difficult?" Dulce blurted out before he could stop himself, his nerves getting the better of him.

He had only gone through the basics with Miss Moira, if the exams included advanced sigils then he might as well forfeit now.

The wizard snuck a glance at him, looking more and more uneasy the longer they walked. "Not at all. Rather, because barely anyone can cast spells, sometimes, no one makes it to the second phase of the entrance exams."

Dulce sighed in relief, regaining his confidence. Spellcasting was a simple matter, sigils on the other hand, were incredibly complex.

"How many for the written exam?" A witch with thick glasses and a cold expression asked as soon as they were led into the building.

She sat behind a high table, a tall hat with a crooked tip sitting atop her hair. She didn’t even bother to lift her head, able to guess that there were many by their footsteps.

"Do Demons have to take the exam too?" Dulce whispered to the academy staff in something akin to horror

The witch shot her head up in shock, taking a proper look at Demons she had only read about in books. "They don’t." She managed to say calmly, "You may go in. Alone." She tagged on when the Demons remained glued to the young wizard’s side.

Kath’tan scowled, already about to protest when Dulce hurriedly spoke.

"The four of you can wait for me right here, I’ll be back in no time." He tried to placate them.

There was an intermission room where the witch’s desk was located, and in the room, there was a seating area as well, next to a fireplace burning with white flames.

Despite his words, Asael scattered into black mist and went ahead of him into the room. Dulce tried to keep a straight face, "The three of you..." He correctly sheepishly.

Kath’tan stomped off to the seating area, grumbling about Shadow Demons and their underhanded abilities.

Ruoxi followed after him, sitting closest to the fire so that he could go right to sleep.

Caedos still lingered in front of Dulce, "I’ll shift, let me stay by your side."

Dulce tried to picture taking an exam with a hulking Hellhound by his side. It was no trouble to him, but he doubted that the rest of the applicants would share his sentiments.

"I don’t think you can this time," He patted Caedos’ shoulder reassuringly, leaving for the exam hall.

The examiner and the academy staff shared bewildered looks. The presence of Demons was rare enough, but their devoted loyalty to their summoner was even more so.